diff --git a/dicepwgen.c b/dicepwgen.c
index 48fc260..0f47961 100644
--- a/dicepwgen.c
+++ b/dicepwgen.c
@@ -24,14 +24,15 @@
 int usage() {
   fprintf(stderr,
 	  "Generate a random diceware passphrase\n"
-	  "Usage: dice [-tcfvh]\n"
+	  "Usage: dice [-tcfvhd]\n"
 	  "Options: \n"
-	  "-t --humantoss            Asks interactively for tossed dices\n"
+	  "-t --humantoss            Asks interactively for rolled dices\n"
 	  "-c --wordcount <count>    Number of words (default: 4)\n"
 	  "-f --dictfile <dictfile>  Dictionary file to use (default:\n"
 	  "                          /usr/share/dict/american-english)\n"
 	  "-l --minlen <count>       Minimum word len (default: 5)\n"
 	  "-m --maxlen <count>       Maximum word len (default: 10)\n"
+	  "-d --debug                Enable debug output\n"
 	  "-v --version              Print program version\n"
 	  "-h -? --help              Print this help screen\n"
 	  );
@@ -41,12 +42,12 @@ int usage() {
 int main (int argc, char **argv)  {
   int count = 4;
   char *dictfile = NULL;
-  unsigned char *tosses = NULL;
   int opt;
 
   WMIN = 6;
   WMAX = 10;
   humantoss = 0;
+  verbose = 0;
   
   static struct option longopts[] = {
     { "wordcount", required_argument, NULL,           'c' },
@@ -56,9 +57,10 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)  {
     { "dictfile",  required_argument, NULL,           'f' },
     { "version",   no_argument,       NULL,           'v' },
     { "help",      no_argument,       NULL,           'h' },
+    { "debug",     no_argument,       NULL,           'd' },
   };
 
-   while ((opt = getopt_long(argc, argv, "l:m:tf:c:vh?", longopts, NULL)) != -1) {
+   while ((opt = getopt_long(argc, argv, "l:m:tf:c:vh?d", longopts, NULL)) != -1) {
      switch (opt) {
      case 'v':
        fprintf(stderr, "This is %s version %s\n", argv[0], VERSION);
@@ -80,6 +82,9 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)  {
      case 't':
        humantoss = 1;
        break;
+     case 'd':
+       verbose++;
+       break;
      case 'f':
        dictfile = malloc(strlen(optarg));
        strncpy(dictfile, optarg, strlen(optarg));
@@ -90,10 +95,17 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)  {
      }
    }
 
-
    if(dictfile == NULL) {
-     dictfile = DICTFILE;
+     dictfile =  STRINGIZE_VALUE_OF(DICTFILE);
    }
+
+   debug("     using dictfile: %s", dictfile);
+   debug("minimum word length: %d", WMIN);
+   debug("maximum word length: %d", WMAX);
+   if(humantoss)
+     debug("user rolls dices");
+   else
+     debug("program rolls dices");
    
    getwords(dictfile, count);
 
@@ -115,7 +127,7 @@ void getwords(char *dictfile, int count) {
   tossed = malloc(count * sizeof(int));
   
   for(i=0; i<count; i++) {
-    tosses = toss(5);
+    tosses = toss(5, i);
 
     one    = tosses[0] * 10000;
     two    = tosses[1] *  1000;
diff --git a/dicepwgen.h b/dicepwgen.h
index 44c0f15..2114e8e 100644
--- a/dicepwgen.h
+++ b/dicepwgen.h
@@ -32,12 +32,16 @@
 
 #include "dictfile.h"
 #include "tossing.h"
+#include "debug.h"
+
+#define STRINGIZE(x) #x
+#define STRINGIZE_VALUE_OF(x) STRINGIZE(x)
 
-#define  DICTFILE "/usr/share/dict/american-english"
 #define  VERSION  "1.0"
 #define  RLEN     1024
 
 int humantoss;
+int verbose;
 int WMIN;
 int WMAX;
 
diff --git a/dictfile.c b/dictfile.c
index ac4867c..632bf8b 100644
--- a/dictfile.c
+++ b/dictfile.c
@@ -51,6 +51,19 @@ int *incr_dicedigit(int *digits) {
   return digits;
 }
 
+
+int get_dicenum(int *digits) {
+  /*
+    get the actual number of an array of dice digits
+  */
+  int i = 0;
+  int pos = 0;
+  for(i=0; i<5; i++)
+    pos += digits[i];
+
+  return pos;
+}
+
 char **fetch_dict(char *dictfile) {
   /*
     read in the dictionary file. we generate an array of max
@@ -70,6 +83,7 @@ char **fetch_dict(char *dictfile) {
 
   if((DICT = fopen(dictfile, "rb")) == NULL) {
     perror("Could not open dictfile");
+    exit(1);
   }
 
   words = malloc(66666 * sizeof(char *));
@@ -115,7 +129,8 @@ char **fetch_dict(char *dictfile) {
       
       words[pos] = malloc(linelen);
       strncpy( words[pos], line, linelen);
-      //fprintf(stdout, "%d: %s\n", pos, line);
+      if(verbose > 1)
+	debug("add to wordlist at index %d: %s", pos, line);
       
       digits = incr_dicedigit(digits);
       pos = get_dicenum(digits);
diff --git a/dictfile.h b/dictfile.h
index f564ffe..e48aa12 100644
--- a/dictfile.h
+++ b/dictfile.h
@@ -30,11 +30,13 @@
 #include <ctype.h>
 
 #include "tossing.h"
+#include "debug.h"
 
 extern int WMIN;
 extern int WMAX;
 
 int *incr_dicedigit(int *digits);
+int get_dicenum(int *digits);
 char **fetch_dict(char *dictfile);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/tossing.c b/tossing.c
index 7eda714..e34b356 100644
--- a/tossing.c
+++ b/tossing.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 #include "tossing.h"
 
-unsigned char *toss(int count) {
+unsigned char *toss(int count, int dicenum) {
   /*
     toss <count> dices. if the global humandice is enabled (option -t),
     then ask the human to toss dices and enter the numbers interactively.
@@ -43,23 +43,28 @@ unsigned char *toss(int count) {
     digit[1] = '\0';
    
   RETRY:
-    fprintf(stderr, "enter 5 digits, each between 1-6\n");
+    fprintf(stdout, "dice %d - enter 5 digits, each between 1-6: ", dicenum+1);
     linelen = getline(&line, &len, stdin);
     tosses = malloc((size_t)count);
     
-    if(linelen < 6) /* 5 digits max allowed */
+    if(linelen < 6) {
+      fprintf(stderr, "error: please enter 5 digits!\n");
       goto RETRY;
-
-    for(i=0; i<count; i++) { /* only digits allowed */
-      if(isdigit(line[i]) == 0)
+    }
+    
+    for(i=0; i<count; i++) {
+      if(isdigit(line[i]) == 0) {
+	fprintf(stderr, "error: please enter only digits!\n");
 	goto RETRY;
-
+      }
+      
       digit[0] = line[i];
       onedice = atoi(digit);
 
-      if (onedice < 1 || onedice > 6) /* no dice digit */
+      if (onedice < 1 || onedice > 6) {
+	fprintf(stderr, "error: please enter only digits between 1 and 6!\n");
 	goto RETRY;
-
+      }
       tosses[i] = onedice;
     }
     free(line);
@@ -67,11 +72,15 @@ unsigned char *toss(int count) {
   else {
     rand = malloc(RLEN);
  
-    if((RAND = fopen("/dev/urandom", "rb")) == NULL)
+    if((RAND = fopen("/dev/urandom", "rb")) == NULL) {
       perror("Could not open /dev/urandom");
+      exit(1);
+    }
 
-    if(fread(rand, RLEN, 1, RAND) != 1)
+    if(fread(rand, RLEN, 1, RAND) != 1) {
       perror("Could not read from /dev/urandom");
+      exit(1);
+    }
     
     fclose(RAND);
 
@@ -90,7 +99,10 @@ unsigned char *toss(int count) {
     }
     free(rand);
   }
- 
+
+  debug("random rolled dices: %d %d %d %d %d",
+	tosses[0], tosses[1], tosses[2], tosses[3], tosses[4]);
+
   return tosses;
 }
 
@@ -110,15 +122,3 @@ int rand_lim(int limit) {
 }
 
 
-
-int get_dicenum(int *digits) {
-  /*
-    get the actual number of an array of dice digits
-  */
-  int i = 0;
-  int pos = 0;
-  for(i=0; i<5; i++)
-    pos += digits[i];
-
-  return pos;
-}
diff --git a/tossing.h b/tossing.h
index d1a2156..eca0351 100644
--- a/tossing.h
+++ b/tossing.h
@@ -29,14 +29,15 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
 
+#include "debug.h"
+
 #define  RLEN     1024
 
 extern int humantoss;
 extern int WMIN;
 extern int WMAX;
 
-unsigned char *toss(int count);
+unsigned char *toss(int count, int dicenum);
 int rand_lim(int limit);
-int get_dicenum(int *digits);
 
 #endif